Who stood out at GOP debate? Oakland University faculty, students weigh in (poll)

Mitt Romney left Oakland University the same way he arrived: As the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination, according to students and faculty we spoke with following Wednesday night's CNBC debate.

"Romney tops the list," said Dave Dulio, associate professor and chair of the political science department. "He had some really good reactions from the crowd in the debate hall, and I think his answers would really resonate with the Republican electorate."

As expected, moderators asked Romney about the federal bailout that ultimately saved General Motors and Chrysler. While the Detroit native's continued opposition may not be popular with many in Michigan, observers praised his consistency even as critics questioned his accuracy.

"I thought his answer was very well stated," said Terri Towner, assistant professor of political science. "He had a different solution for the auto industry, one that may resonate with some Michiganders. He proposed a different solution, which he said was a better solution. It wasn't a bailout, it was structured bankruptcy, and he said the industry would have come out stronger."

But Romney's strongest moment of the night may have come when he passed up the opportunity to pile on Herman Cain. In a forced attempt to address the scandal while adhering to the debate's economic theme, a CNBC moderator asked Romney whether he would hire someone like Cain, who has been accused of sexual harassment.

He did not bite.

"To be completely honest, the main thing that stood out was just the overall tone of the debate," said graduate student Pam Holt. "Rather than the usual argumentative stance, candidates moved more toward a level of diplomacy which was refreshing. Not only was Herman Cain's response amazing, Romney's response was just phenomenal. It wasn't the typical mudslinging you see in politics."

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Cain called the accusations "unfounded" and suggested voters do not care about "character assassination," they care about the economy.

Republican activists watching the debate in the O'rena booed the line of questioning, but Dulio said moderators had a responsibility to address the campaign's most immediate question.

"I thought it was going to be the first one," he said. "I think Cain handled it about as well as he could. He handled it better than the first time he was asked about it, that's for sure. He had a good night, in part, because he dealt with it and it was over."

Gingrich also garnered praise for his cerebral responses and historical references.

Like his fellow candidates, Gingrich has said he would work to repeal the health care reform package passed under President Obama. But he declined the opportunity to describe an alternative solution, explaining he would need all night to discuss the complex issue and suggesting that, as the nominee, he would challenge Obama to a series of long-form, Lincoln-Douglas-style debates.

"Newt probably had the best line of the night when he said there's no way he could describe a health care solution in just thirty seconds. He's really showing the American people this is a difficult question, and a solution is not going to be easy. We can't just slap a Band-Aid on it. It's something we need to sit down and get all levels of government involved in."

While Romney, Cain and Gingrich may have buoyed their election hopes, Rick Perry may have sunk his.

Asked about his plan to eliminate three federal agencies, Perry struggled to name the second and drew a blank on the third. "Oops," he said, as he apologized for the memory lapse.

"That was a very damaging performance for him," Dulio said. "He did not look like he had command of his own ideas. Everybody has slip-ups or forgets things, but when you're in the heart of a presidential debate..."

Holt's husband of two weeks, a staff sergeant in the Air National Guard, was scheduled to leave this morning for a tour of duty in Afghanistan. So she was frustrated when she didn't hear more about ending the war during last night's debate, but she understood that moderators wanted to focus on the economy.

"If the candidate's don't discuss it in the future, none of them will be getting my vote," she said.

For many Oakland University students and staff, hosting the debate was as meaningful as watching it. The televised broadcast introduced the university to prospective students around the nation and provided current students with the opportunities to see democracy in action while participating in the process as volunteers.

"This is one of the defining moments of my education here at Oakland University," said Holt, who studied political science as an undergrad. "What an amazing opportunity. This is something that potentially will never happen again on our campus. So just to bring the politics of this country and the democracy so close to the student body is fantastic."